Archbishop recalls relationship between work and man’s dignity

Buenos Aires, Argentina, May 1, 2008 / 11:59 am

Archbishop Jose Maria Arancedo of Santa Fe de la Vera Cruz recalled this week that International Workers’ Day, May 1, coincides with the celebration of the feast of St. Joseph the Worker, and he said, “the value of work lies precisely in that it is man who carries it out.”

“Work is not just another object, but rather the expression and condition of spiritual and social development of man.  When we forget about this primary relationship of work with man’s dignity, it loses its cultural richness and moral value,” the archbishop said in a message for May 1.

Archbishop Arancedo went on to note that when work is valued only for what is produced and the subject that carries it out is forgotten, we forget that man has a personal need for work as a moral link to society.  “Creating jobs is the sign of a just society,” he said.

“This should lead us to conclude that the greatest poverty of man is not to have work, or not to be able to work, and also that work is not only a personal issue, but also a social and a political one,” he said.

“When we take seriously the importance of work in the life of man, we cannot help but affirm that it is morally unjust and culturally poor for a society not to react in response to the scourge of unemployment and poverty or for it to accept inhumane conditions or take advantage of the employment of minors.  To teach people to work is a sign of a wise society,” he said